Youthline Auckland celebrates Pink Shirt Day 2013

Friday 17th May 2013 is Pink Shirt Day, a
national campaign to raise awareness about the power
everyone has to prevent and reduce bullying.

For long
established youth development organisation, Youthline, this
is a day to empower and inspire communities and individuals
to take a stand against bullying and make positive change.

Youthline Manukau Centre Manager and Pink Shirt Day
Committee Member, Hannah Sellars says bullying is a very
real issue for all age ranges, particularly young people.

“Each year up to 2500 young people contact
Youthline’s national 0800 helpline and free txt service
for support around bullying, and there will be plenty more
who haven’t yet been able to reach out.”

May 17 is
also International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia.
To mark both occasions, guest speaker Dr Duane McWaine, the
U.S Ambassadors spouse will be addressing paid and volunteer
staff at youthline Central Auckland about creative solutions
to grow awareness around bullying, followed by a morning
tea. The Youthline Manukau team will be hosting a breakfast
and of course everyone will be donning pink shirts!

The point is that we’re all doing
something to help create an Aotearoa where everyone feels
safe, valued and respected,” says Sellars.

Youthline
are also looking at how they can continue to bring this
vision to life beyond Pink Shirt Day.

“We’re
currently working with another organisation, Bluelight, to
build a youth led anti bullying campaign – the starting
point for this is a hui in June where up to 80 young people
will get together to come up with some key anti bullying
messages which they’ll then take back into their
communities.”

ENDS

About Pink Shirt Day

An annual event celebrated throughout New
Zealand and the world, Pink Shirt Day aims to create a New
Zealand where all people feel safe, valued and respected.

The event began in Nova Scotia, Canada, in 2007, when a
group of students stood up to defend a kid who was bullied
because he was wearing a pink shirt. In a show of
solidarity, many of his fellow students wore pink shirts,
and PSD was born.

Pink Shirt Day in New Zealand began in
2009. SS4Q (Safety in Schools for Queers, a group made up of
representatives from a number of organisations keen to work
to stop the bullying of GLBTI young people in New Zealand
schools) , brought it to our shores.

In 2012 The Mental
Health Foundation took over the organisation of Pink Shirt
Day .

Want to get involved in Pink Shirt Day?

Check out these resources to help you:
http://www.pinkshirtday.org.nz/resources

Visit us on
Facebook and let us know what you have planned:
http://www.facebook.com/pinkshirtdayaotearoa ‘

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